James Madison

By: Richard Brookhiser

Narrated by: Norman Dietz

Eminent historian Richard Brookhiser presents a vivid portrait of James Madison, the “Father of the Constitution” and one of America's greatest statesmen.

©2011 Richard Brookhiser (P)2011 Tantor

Critic reviews

"A useful introduction to a man who is often outshone by his presidential predecessors but who nevertheless was instrumental in creating our modern political system." ( Kirkus)

Reliving history

This biography of James Madison reminds us that politics has not changed much in the 200 plus years of our existence. The story reads more like a story than a collection of facts.

Things I Didn't Know I Didn't Know

There are those who speak and write of the Founding Fathers as if they determinedly soared above the gravitational pull of politics and ambition. This book offers further reminders of the wrongheadedness of that assumption. Madison was the consummate political operative and played a seminal role in developing our political party system. That insight alone makes this book worth knowing.

As I traveled with and through this book I learned about Madison???s backstage maneuvering to instigate the Constitutional Convention. I discovered more about his connections to Washington and Jefferson???whom he admired???and his interactions with Hamilton and Monroe???with whom he occasionally found common ground. How his gift for studied political action influenced his relationships with these other Founders is the truly fascinating core of this book

The narrator never slowed my listening and took a perfect tone???scholarly but secretly entertained by the twists of President Madison???s story. As a result, I was informed and entranced and sorry to hear Madison???s life come to an end.

Excellent summary of a political actor

Brookhiser cogently describes the life of an ambitious man. Madison is a man slightly ahead of his time; struggling with the questions of his era and unwilling to reach the intellectual & moral conclusions to which the Constitution & Bill of Rights surely indicate. Madison is surrounded by truly great thinkers and self made men. in comparison, he is a gifted, commendable bureaucrat and a slavish flunky to Jefferson.

Madison is the first of a long line of self-dealing, hypocritical party hacks legion in demagogic politics.

Madison is the bridge from Enlightenment age thinkers to a modern form of politics we are familiar with today. Fascinating in a way.

great book!

Wonderful writing! And great voice! I loved it, and thank you to the author. I will continue with this author and narrator.

Not Exhaustive Detail but Not Bad

Overall: good book. Get more than just an overview of Madison, however not exhaustive detail of the man. Would have liked more detail from his time as President but satisfied with the listen nonetheless.

My Constitution

What did you love best about James Madison?

The history of how we came to be from a political point of view.

What other book might you compare James Madison to and why?

Liberty & Tyranny by Mark Levine

Which scene was your favorite?

Washing turning down the offer to be King and not accepting a third term as President. Washington walked away from power.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No.

Any additional comments?

It was sometimes tedious to listen to, but the history was more than I could have hoped for. Why in the world do they not teach this stuff in school.

ps I went to a private school, but it was very, very progressive. Yikes!

Not really a biography

This book, while I enjoyed it, was not really a biography. It was more a history of the beginnings of the country with a focus on the Constitution. Next to nothing about Madison's personal life is explored. I still found it interesting.

Good introduction to a great man

James Madison is one of those figures who seem to always be at the edge in discussions about historical characters. Some may know of him as the “Father of the Constitution” or as the fourth President of the United States. Few actually know much about the man himself. In this biography Richard Brookhiser seeks to show us that character.

Madison was a small man, barely five feet tall, leaving him dwarfed by the tall Virginians George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. He was not a powerful speaker, but he was a man with a great mind and an attention for details. He was the driving force behind the creation of the Constitution of the United States. He was the creator of the first political party in the United States. He was a junior partner in a lifelong political coalition with Thomas Jefferson, but he was never Jefferson’s inferior. He was not without his flaws and neither is this book. Brookhiser tends towards imbalance when discussing Madison’s political foes. Madison was a man who saw conspiracy around a lot of corners. Brookhiser gives this too much credence. For example he makes men like Alexander Hamilton and John Adams look like they were trying to subvert Constitution and create a monarchy. This is patently absurd.

The book itself is well written and easy to read. Be sure that if you read this book you balance it out with others about the period. I would also recommend Founding Brothers by Joseph J. Ellis, Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow, John Adams by David McCullough, and Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power by Jon Meacham.

Good book

While this was a good biography, and it was performed well, it did not make Maddison come alive for me, like other biographies I have read of presidents. I have just finished reading Washington: A Life by Chernow, John Adams by McCullough, and Thomas Jefferson: The art of power by Meacham, and this book, while good, does not match up with those phenomenal biographies. I couldn't help but feel that there could've been more personal details. However, this book covers the facts very well and was still entertaining. I would definitely recommend the book if you want to read a book about Maddison specifically.

Great Biography of Madison

Brookhiser has written a very enjoyable biography of James Madison which also tells much of what you need to know about the early years of the American Republic. The other Founders are also well described as well as key political and military events.